Trinidad and Tobago's state-owned airline, Caribbean Airlines (CAL), has bowed to public pressure and will remove the balisier, symbol of Trinidad and Tobago’s ruling People’s National Movement (PNM), from the tail of its Dash-8 commuter aircraft. The airline acknowledged the balisier attracts "dual affiliation." An official said the airline is working on a revised design for its aircraft, which would be approved within the next few days.
There was angry reaction from the political opposition and other commentators immediately after the symbol of the PNM appearing on the planes. Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday called it a fascist move.
He was pleased with the airline's decision to make the change. "The pressure of the people has caused them to remove it. This is a good thing. If the people decide to unite and protest against this government, they cannot continue what they are doing,” Panday said.
Information Minister Neil Parsanlal had defended the use of the balisier on the carrier. And the airline had said it was a celebration of the nation's fauna and flora.
The initial project cost nearly $1-million. Nobody is saying how much the new design and repainting would cost or explaining how the airline can justify such a waste of money.
It comes at a time when the government is giving the airline millions to lease a private executive jet for commercial service. Prime Minister Patrick Manning says he'll use the service for official government business.
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